Nigeria’s representative at the 2026 Miss World pageant, Tamunosoye Karibi-George, has finished among the Top 12 contestants, while Joheirry Mola Dominguez of the Dominican Republic emerged winner of the competition.
Mola was crowned Miss World 2026 on Saturday during the grand finale of the 73rd edition of the pageant held at the April 2 Square in Nha Trang, Vietnam.
Her victory marked the second time the Dominican Republic has produced a Miss World, 44 years after Mariasela Álvarez won the title in 1982.
Mola succeeded Thailand’s Suchata “Opal” Chuangsri, who won the 2025 edition and crowned her successor at the finale.
Spain’s Elisabeth Reynés Alabern was named first runner-up, while Malaysia’s Taanusiya Chetty emerged second runner-up. Chetty also won the Beauty with a Purpose award for her social impact work.
Karibi-George, popularly known as Soye, progressed through several stages of the competition before her journey ended in the Top 12. She was unable to advance to the final Top Six.
The Nigerian beauty queen had earlier secured an automatic place in the Top 40 after winning the Africa Top Model title at the Vietnam Beauty Fashion Fest.
She defeated contestants from Botswana, Equatorial Guinea, Kenya and South Africa to claim the continental modelling title.
Karibi-George subsequently advanced through the Top 20 and Top 12 stages before bowing out alongside contestants from Brazil, France, the Philippines, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The final six contestants were Mola of the Dominican Republic, Reynés of Spain, Chetty of Malaysia, Lê Nguyễn Bảo Ngọc of Vietnam, Romanda Hombir of South Africa and Snit Habteab Tewoldemedhin of Eritrea.
Mola, 24, is a literature and social studies teacher, professional model, news correspondent and community advocate. She holds a degree in Business Management and Administration from Universidad Iberoamericana.
She also founded Voices of Tomorrow, an initiative focused on providing English-language education to children and young people in vulnerable communities.
Her advocacy for access to education featured prominently throughout the competition, particularly during the final stage.
Mola had earlier won the Americas and Caribbean Top Model title, securing her place in the Top 40.
For Nigeria, Karibi-George’s Top 12 finish represents another strong performance on the international pageant stage.
The 26-year-old, who hails from Port Harcourt, Rivers State, represented Bayelsa State at the national pageant.
She was crowned Miss World Nigeria 2026 in June at the Balmoral Hall of the Federal Palace Hotel, Lagos, succeeding Joy Mojisola Raimi, who reached the Top 20 at the 2025 Miss World pageant.
Karibi-George is a communications professional, model, actress, voice-over artist, event host and scriptwriter.
She is also the founder of Beyond Labels, an initiative focused on inclusion, dignity, education and empowerment for children with disabilities, special needs and neurodivergent individuals.
During the competition, she participated in the Head-to-Head Challenge and Talent Competition, where she performed Opportunity by Sia.
She also showcased Nigerian culture through several of her outfits, including the “Amazon of the Mangrove” costume, which highlighted environmental resilience and women’s strength.
The 2026 Miss World pageant featured 111 contestants divided into four continental groups: Africa, the Americas and Caribbean, Europe, and Asia and Oceania.
Contestants progressed through several stages, including fast-track challenges and the Top 40, Top 20, Top 12 and Top Six rounds before the winner and runners-up were selected.
The 2026 edition marked the first time Vietnam hosted the Miss World competition and coincided with the organisation’s 75th anniversary.
Following Mola’s crowning, the 74th edition of the Miss World pageant is scheduled to take place in Tanzania in 2027.
